Man dressed as Houston cop breaks in to home, shoots man

By Dale Lezon |
December 4, 2013
| Updated: December 4, 2013 11:42am

Officer Michael Ybanez, of HPD Major Offenders Division Police Impersonation Unit, warns Houstonians to pay attention to uniform, if officer has a badge, is there a patrol vehicle, when approached by an officer on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, in Houston. Officer Ybanez describes a case that happened in November where a suspect impersonated a police officer and injured a citizen.

Officer Michael Ybanez, of HPD Major Offenders Division Police Impersonation Unit, provides some description of the suspect who impersonated a police officer in November and need the public to be cautious on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, in Houston.

Photo By HPD

Survelliance photo

Photo By HPD

This uniform-clad man broke in to a southwest Houston apartment and wounded the resident.

Photo By HPD

Survelliance photo

Police are asking the public to help them identify a man they say impersonated an officer when he broke into an apartment and shot the resident last month in southwest Houston.

The incident happened about 11:50 p.m. Nov. 2 at an apartment complex 9400 Bellaire near Corporate, according to the Houston Police Department.

The suspect was dressed in a uniform similar to the type worn by Houston police officers, said HPD Officer Michael Ybanez.

Ybanez said the suspect knocked on several doors in the complex, identifying himself as a police officer when residents opened their doors. He told them he had a warrant and named the person he was looking for. He then advised the residents they were not the person he wanted and left.

When he knocked on the victim's door, Ybanez said, the resident did not answer right away. That's when the suspect used a crow bar to break into the apartment. The resident confronted the bogus officer, who pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. The two struggled for the weapon, which fired. The victim was slightly wounded in the arm.

The victim ran into the living room and the suspect followed him. They fought again. Then the suspect left.

Ybanez said police impersonators are especially dangerous because they often carry guns and make people suspicious of real law enforcement officers.

"People who commit these type of crimes erode the public's trust in the Houston Police Department," he said.

Ybanez said the suspect is described as being Asian and in his mid to late 20s or early 30s. He was about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed about 150 pounds. He had acne scars on his forehead and cheeks.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the HPD Major Offenders Division at 713-308-3100 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.